Wizards acquiring Anthony Davis in trade with Mavericks

The Mavericks have found a taker for Anthony Davis, agreeing to send the veteran big man to the Washington Wizards, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Dallas is also including Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum in the deal.

Coming back to the Mavericks is a sizable package. Dallas will receive Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, and Marvin Bagley III, along with two first-round picks and three second-rounders.

Per Charania, the firsts are a least-favorable 2026 pick that is expected to be Oklahoma City’s, plus Golden State’s top-20 protected 2030 selection. The seconds are Phoenix’s 2026 pick, Chicago’s 2027 pick, and Houston’s 2029 pick.

Davis had been available for much of the season in Dallas, though there was skepticism a deal would actually get done after he suffered a hand injury expected to sideline him for most of February, if not longer.

Several rumored suitors appeared to cool as the injury lingered, creating an opening for a surprise entrant like Washington to step in late.

On the surface, the Wizards look like an unusual landing spot for a veteran star. But this is a franchise clearly shifting timelines.

After acquiring Trae Young last month, Washington is signaling it wants to be competitive sooner rather than later, even with a record that sits well below .500.

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Wizards had been searching for another frontcourt anchor to pair with Alex Sarr, whom they envision as a versatile, switchable power forward.

They explored options ranging from Domantas Sabonis to Walker Kessler before ultimately landing on Davis.

As with the Young deal, Washington is betting on talent over recent availability. Davis has appeared in just 20 games this season while dealing with multiple health issues.

And while the draft-pick package looks hefty at first glance, the 2026 first-rounder is likely to land at the very end of the round, and the 2030 pick becomes a second-rounder if it falls in the top 20. From the Wizards’ perspective, that is the price of buying low on a player with Hall of Fame credentials.